- Joined
- Dec 30, 2010
- Messages
- 12,730
- Points
- 113
While commuters here must accept the reality that no public transport system anywhere in the world can be immune from breakdowns, they are entitled to expect that, when a crisis hits, everyone from the operator's chief and executives to station managers and train drivers know what to do and do what is expected. These include procedures for communication, evacuation and back-up transport links.
In an age of technology and an abundance of communication and social media tools, there is little excuse for keeping commuters in the dark about developments. Apologies can scarcely compensate those who missed appointments or were late in getting home or to their night jobs. They need, and expect to have, a system that operates reliably.
The SMRT's failings are all the more surprising given that there have been emergency drills and that there are community emergency preparedness programmes in place. Yet those in charge appeared ill-prepared or overwhelmed by the scale of what hit them. Clearly fixes in procedures and personnel are needed.
Hard questions must also be asked about whether the physical and other aspects of the MRT are robust enough to take the stresses that have come from a spike in the number of commuters and the corresponding increase in train frequencies, as well as about equipment fatigue and the adequacy of inspections and maintenance.
In an age of technology and an abundance of communication and social media tools, there is little excuse for keeping commuters in the dark about developments. Apologies can scarcely compensate those who missed appointments or were late in getting home or to their night jobs. They need, and expect to have, a system that operates reliably.
The SMRT's failings are all the more surprising given that there have been emergency drills and that there are community emergency preparedness programmes in place. Yet those in charge appeared ill-prepared or overwhelmed by the scale of what hit them. Clearly fixes in procedures and personnel are needed.
Hard questions must also be asked about whether the physical and other aspects of the MRT are robust enough to take the stresses that have come from a spike in the number of commuters and the corresponding increase in train frequencies, as well as about equipment fatigue and the adequacy of inspections and maintenance.
